^HISTORY
^
^RHODESIA UDI^^
^November 1965 to April 1980
^"A Short Thousand years"
^Created by Len Morison
^ancestry@dunmor.freeserve.co.uk
^
^A Fantastic Worlds game scenario for Civilization II*
^*Copyright (c) 1995 by MicroProse Software
^
^HISTORY
^The scene is the period of reversing colonialism that occurred after World War 2. Using the pretext of 'democratic majority rule', African nationalist groups were demanding the return of countries acquired during the previous century by some of the global powers.
^Weakened by the war and governed by liberalism, Britain was happy to oblige. The 'winds of change' swept through India and Africa during the early 1960's. 
^However, some colonies had been virtually governing themselves and were economically self-sufficient. They objected to turning back the clock and handing back anything to the uneducated, indigenous masses without sufficient safeguards for the long-term future.
^
^In 1953, three British colonies in central Africa formed the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. This was dissolved ten years later when two of the member countries, Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Nyasaland (Malawi) were granted independence from Britain under majority rule. 
^White ruled Southern Rhodesia (Rhodesia) refused to accept these terms and independence negotiations stalled.
^
^On 11 November 1965, Ian Smith, Prime Minister of Rhodesia and leader of the ruling Rhodesia Front party, declared UDI (Unilateral Declaration of Independence).
^Britain imposed sanctions and two African nationalist parties, (ZAPU and ZANU) declared a guerrilla war against Rhodesia.
^
^Other African nationalist groups were already confronting the white governments of the region:
^1/ FRELIMO conducted a bush guerrilla war against Portuguese Mozambique.
^2/ The ANC, PAC and SACP used urban terrorism in South Africa.
^3/ SWAPO used southern Angola as a springboard against South West Africa (Namibia), controlled under mandate by South Africa, 
^
^For a price, South Africa helped support Rhodesia economically, rendering British sanctions largely ineffective. Apart from supplying arms to Rhodesia, South Africa operated police and helicopter units around the Rhodesian-South African border areas. However, South Africa did mediate whilst trying to keep out of the Rhodesian struggle.
^
^Until 1975, Mozambique was neutral and controlled by the Portuguese who were fighting FRELIMO. Only when FRELIMO took over, did Mozambique join the nationalist war against Rhodesia.
^
^The so-called 'Frontline States' (Zambia, Malawi, Botswana and Tanzania) supported the nationalist groups but tried to remain neutral. Only Zambia (Kenneth Kaunda) openly supported and allowed nationalist bases.
^
^
^The events mentioned during the game actually happened.
^
